Jar-handling equipment for capping machines



Oct. 20, 1953 A. H. FILANDER JAR-HANDLING EQUIPMENT FOR CAPPING MACHINES Filed Jan. 2, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet l ATT DRNEY Oct. 20, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2, 1952 A ORNEK Oct. 20, 1953 A. H. FILANDER JAR-HANDLING EQUIPMENT FOR CAPPING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 2, 1952 ATTORNEYS Oct. 20, 1953 A. H. FILANDER JAR-HANDLING EQUIPMENT FOR CAPPING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 2, 1952 Oct. 20, 1953 A. H. FILANDER 2,656,084

JAR-HANDLING EQUIPMENT FOR CAPPING MACHINES Filed Jan. 2, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 RNEYJ A. H. FILANDER JAR-HANDLING EQUIPMENT FOR CAPPING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jan. 2, 1952 Patented Oct. 20, 1953 J Alt-HANDLING EQUIPMENT FOR CAPPING MACHINES Arthur H. Filander, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Franklin Balmar Corporation, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application January 2, 1952, Serial No. 264,495

1 Claim.

This invention relates to jar-handling equipment for capping machines, and more particularly to feeding, conveying and guiding mechanism for the handling of the jars or bottles to be capped, and to the driving system for the conveyor mechanism, as well as to means of adjustment whereby the equipment is adapted to feed, convey and guide screw-cap types of bottles or jarsof a variety of shapes, sizes, heights, diameters and weights.

A major object of the invention is to ensure that, regardless of the variations in the jars handled, there will be a rapid, accurate, reliable delivery of the jars, serially, to the capping station, and discharge thereof from said station, in an assured coordinated relationship with the operations of the jar grippers, the capping unit and other elements of the machine, and with a minimum of interruption due to jar breakage or to any other cause.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the accomplishment of the foregoing and other objects by the provision of a reciprocating-type of conveyor, positively coordinated with the jargripping and cap-setting units; and desirably the accomplishment of this by the employment of novel driving connections for the conveyor actuated from the same driving motor which operates one or more of the mentioned elements of the machine.

Still further, the invention contemplates accomplishing the foregoing with the further cooperation of one or more of the following features: replaceable and/or adjustable elements in the conveyor and its drive; adjustable feed means associated with the conveyor; jar guiding means associated with the reciprocating conveyor and adjustable both vertically and horizontally, and in the preferred form by a pivotal and sliding adjustment mechanism capable of accomplishing both vertical and horizontal adjustments, and adapted also to adjust a brake.

How the foregoing, together with such other objects and advantages as are incident to or inherent in the invention, are attained, will be evident, to those skilled in the art, from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an automatic machine for screwing caps upon jars, utilizing the feeding, conveying, guiding and other features of the present invention, the view being partly in section substantially on the line l-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view of the machine taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan section of the machine taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detailed plan View of a carriage for supporting the driving unit of the machine;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6' is an enlarged fragmentary plan section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of a cappin unit employed;

Figure 8 is a sectional elevational view showing the position of the parts with the crank wheel rotated from the position of Figure 2; I

Figure 9 is a fragmentary face view of the crank wheel and associated parts, some of them being in section;

Figure 10 is an enlarged plan section taken on the line llll0 of Figure 1 with the guide bar omitted in order to show clearly the brakemechanism employed in the machine;

Figure 11 is a face view of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail view of the brake and associated guide bar; and

Figure 13 shows the parts of Figure'12 in a different position of adjustment.

A typical machine, in association with which my invention has been applied, comprises, in general, suitable frame structure F having horizontal framing members I0, l0 and II, II, and vertical framing members 12 and IS; a driving unit D mounted on a carriage I4; a capping unit or cap setter 0; jar receiving and guiding rails G and G for the jars J; clamping mechanism M for arresting and gripping the jars so as to stop and hold them at a capping station during the capping or cap setting operation; and a braking mechanism B at the capping station, for retarding the jars, particularly when the machine is operating at very high speeds. I have applied to such machine my novel conveyor system R, with its reciprocating driving system as hereinafter described, with associated feed mechanism (including adjustable and replaceable guide members indicated at T and at 35), and a special adjusting system (best seen in detail in Figures 10 to 13) for the guides G and G. It should be understood that various features of the machine, such as the driving unit B, capping unit C, guide rails per se, clamping mechanism M, braking mechanism B, and certain associated parts, '21- though illustrated and describedherein because of their association with features of my invention, do not in themselves constitute'elements 'of my invention (certain of the same being claimed in application of Edward Demski Serial No. 264,493, entitled Automatic Machinery for Screwing Caps Upon Jars, filed January 2, 1952, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention) Referring now to the construction of the machine in more detail;

The drive unit D comprises a motor [5, a worm 16 mounted on one end of the motor shaft, a worm wheel I! mounted on the drive shaft 18 of the g capping unit C, a gear [9 mounted on the other end of the motor shaft, a meshing gear 29 mounted on the shaft 21 of a drive pulley 22, and a crank wheel 23 driven from the drive pulley byabelt 24.

The crank wheel 23 (asbest seen'in Figs. 1, ,2 and 9) is provided with a crank pin 25 on which the head 26 of a rod 2'! is mounted by means .of a bearing 26a. The rod 2'? is pivotally anchored to the frame of the machine by means of a trunnion 28 mounted in bearings 29, the rod 2'! being adjustably secured to the member 28 by a set screw 30.

As thus far described it will be seen that when the crank wheel 23 is rotated the crank pin causes the carriage 14, carrying the drive unit D, to move upand down due to the anchorage of the rod 2?.

The carriage is mounted for this up and down movement by means of wheels 3| riding on rails 3.2 carried by the upright frame members I2. As best seen in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the carriage [4 has a base Mo on which the motor 15 with the gear case [6a and the bearing 23a for the crank Wheel 23 are mounted, and four upwardly extending side arms 14b eachof which carries a pair of the wheels 3!, the wheels being spaced widely apart to counteract any tilting action due to the overhangof thecrank drive and the capping unit as viewed in Figure 2.

V The capping unitis secured to the drive shaft 18 by means of a key-33 and set screw 34 (see Figure ,7) and therefore the capping unit is brought into engagement and disengagement with the jar caps as the carriage is moved up and down.

Jars J, with .their caps or lids hand-applied thereon are fed to the machine by any known form of feeding conveyors arranged for either parallel or right angle feed to the machine. Where the initial feed conveyor delivers .in a direction parallel to the reciprocating conveyor mechanism B of my invention, I provide a curved lead-in or feed rail T, and a cooperating adjustable feed plate or ,endguide 35; and where a right-angled initial feed conveyor is used, I may employ the same plate 35 and the adjustable straight rail T .(as best seen in Fig. 3). The guide 35 is slotted (as shown) for adjustment to suit the particular diameter of jar being handled, which, in this instanceisillustrated as being of the quart Mason jar size. The lead-in vrail T (or T) is also adjustable asby means of a screw and slot connection 35;: to suit the diameter of jar being handled.

In this connection it isrpointed out that it is contemplated that jars of various heights and diameters will be handled in the machine, for example, jars ranging from 2 inches to 4% inches in diameter and from 3% inches to 7% inches in height. To enable the handling of the large variety of jar sizes falling in the above range, the feed guide 35, the lead-in rail T, the clamping mechanism M the guide rails G and G, the brake B, the capping unit C and the conveyor unit Rare made adjustable in a simple manner, as will appear hereinafter.

seen inFigures l and 3, the jars are guided justed positions .by means of screws 31.

and away from each other in accordance with the diameter of jar being capped. Rotatably adjustable mounting studs 36 are provided for the guide rails, and (as seen in Figs. 10 to 13), the mounting studs are adapted to be secured in various ad- The mounting studs for the guide rail G are secured to the frame members I2 and the mounting studs for the guide rail G are secured in brackets 38 carriedby the front frame member 1,0.

In Figure 12 the guide rail Gis shown adjusted for one height of jar and in Figure 13 it isshown adjusted to a higher position for ataller jar. In order to properly guide jarsof differentdiameter the guide rails are adjustably mounted in the studs 36 for in andout movement by means of rods 39 and set screws..4.,0.

The height adjustmentof the rail is of especial importance in preventing tipping spilling ordislodgment of jars, especially whenthe machine is operated at very high speeds, since differences .in height .of jar usually involve 'diiferences .in the center of gravity location, and it is desirable that the jars be laterally supported at a level not too far removed from the center of gravity of thejar.

The reciprocating conveyor R comprises con.- veyor barsli having wheels 42 riding on rails ,43 secured to the horizontal frame members vI i]; gravity loaded pusher pins or fingers 44 for engaging and pushing the jars along the rail members Hi when theconveyor bar, is inits forward travel, i. ,e., in its travel to the left as viewed .in Figures 1 and 3; and a bell crank lever having its arms .45, 45 connected ,by shaft 45a for imparting reciprocatory motion to theconveyor bars 4| and having connection therewith by ,meansof an adjustable link 46 and bracket4'l, The pusher pins 44 are replaceablyscrewed into the counterweights 49 whereby pins of different lengths may be employed to suit the particularsize jars being conveyed. The counterweights are pivotally carried by the conveyor bars by means of pivot pins 48 fitting holes in the conveyor bars spaced therealong a distance somewhat greater than the diameter of the largest size jar to be handled in the machine. In the backward travel or the, con.- veyor bars the pusher pins .44 pivot downwardly and pass under the jars, which remain station,- ary, and as the bars approach the end of vtheir backward stroke the pins swing up under influence of counterweights 49. The backwardstroke continues until the pins assume a position clear of the jars a distance indicated at 44a in Figure 1. This clearance provides a delaying action before the pins advance the jars on theforward stroke of the conveyor to enable thecapping unitC to be raised free of the jar just capped in the backward stroke of the conveyor.

As seen in Figures 1 to 3, and 5 and 6, the

clamping mechanism M for gripping the jars when they are being cappedv comprises .clamp arms 50 hinged at 5! to adjustable hinge lugs 52 mounted on a turnbuckle 53 carried :by lugs 5s ,secured to the framemembers .H'; pads ,55

for gripping the jars; angular plates '56 secured to the clamp arms at their upper portions to which the pads are secured; and leverage, indicated as a whole by the reference letter L, for operating the clamps to be fully described hereinafter.

As best seen in Figure 3, the angular plates are in the form of a flat V, of about 120 included angle; and the double V formed by the two clamps acts to center the jar as it is being gripped. The clamp pads 55 are preferably constructed of a rubber compound and their gripping surfaces are preferably provided with circular grooves 55a (see Figure 1) to give them an effective grip.

The pads 55 are adjustable by means of screws 55?) to aid in properly adjusting the mechanism for centering jars of different diameters under the capping head and to give an equal grip at each pad. Final grip adjustment is accomplished by means of the turnbuckle 53.

The capping unit or cap setter C which is secured to the drive shaft I8 by means of the key 33 and set screw 34 above mentioned comprises a driving sleeve 58, a friction body member 59 fitting the driving sleeve and retained by a pin and slot connection 60; friction inserts 6|, preferably of fibre, carried by the member 59 and having a tapered bore 62 and keyways 63; a tapered driving member 64 fitting the tapered bore 62 and having keys 55 fitting the keyways 63; a torque adjusting nut 66 screwed onto the body member 59 and engaging the driving member 64; and adapter member 61 secured to the driving member 64; and a capping head 68 secured on the adapter member and having an insert 69, preferably of rubber, for gripping the jar lid to be tightened. 1

It is pointed out that since the driving member 64 has tapered engagement with the friction inserts 6| the frictional torque therebetween can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the adjusting nut 66.

In order to compensate for slight variation in jar heights and to provide a cuschioned contact between the capping unit and the jar when the unit is brought into capping position, a cushioning spring 76 is provided between the driving sleeve 58 and the body member 59.

Reverting now to the conveyor unit R, re-

ciprocatory movement is imparted thereto from the driving unit D (as seen in Figures 2, 3 and 8) by means of a downwardly extending drive rod 'II secured to the carriage I I at' I2 and having a bracket I3 adjustably secured thereto by means of a locking screw 13a. The bracket 13 has a horizontal arm I4 secured thereto which is connected to the lower arm of the bell crank lever 45, 45 by means of an adjusting link (see Fig. 1). Thus when the carriage I 4 is moved up, under the crank action of the crank wheel drive, the jars are moved a fixed distance along the frame members II] by the conveyor fingers and a jar is brought into capping position under the capping unit C. Since the capping unit is also supported from the carriage I4 it will move upwardly during this forward movement of the conveyor. On the downward movementof the carriage the jars remain stationary and the conveyor moves in its backward stroke, i. e. to the right as viewed in Figure l, and the capping unit moves down into capping position to tighten or set the cap. Thus by my particular conveyor and the reciprocating drive system therefor, cou-- pled with the same drive unit which actuates the grippers and the turning and reciprocation of the capping unit, I secure an absolutely certain coordination of the jar-handling mechanism with the operation of the various other elements of the machine.

In order to ensure proper positioning of the jar to be capped under the capping head, pressure brake mechanism B is provided at the capping station which acts to pressure hold the jar in the exact position of alignment with the capping head to which it was advanced by the conveyor. This prevents the jar from riding past its correct capping position as could be the case in the absence of such means, if the machine be operated at such a high speed as to so impel the jars.

Referring particularly to Figures 10 to 13 inelusive, the brake mechanism comprises a brake or pressure bar I03 having rearwardly extending guide rods I04 slidably fitting the holes in brackets I05 which are adjustably secured on the rods 35 of the guide rail G. The brake bar I03 is urged forwardly, i. e., in a direction toward the jars by means of pressure springs I06 surrounding the rods I64. Adjusting nuts III! are provided for adjusting the tension of the springs I05.

As a jar approaches its capping position it engages the brake shoe portion H18 of the brake bar and it is pressure held between the brake bar and the guide rail G thus preventing unintentional movement of the jar past its cappingposition. The brake bar can be adjusted inwardly and outwardly on the rods 39 and locked in adjusted position by the set screws I 09.

Reverting now to the operation of the clamping mechanism M and referring particularly to Figures 1, 2, 6 and 8, a downwardly extending operating rod I6 is secured to the bracket I3 of the drive rod II, as by means of a pin 76a, so as to reciprocate up and down therewith. This operating rod I6 is connected at its lower end to a pair of pull bars TI, I! of the leverage L.

The operating rod 16 is guided in a tubular bearing member 3| rigidly attached to the machine frame as by means of welds indicated at 82. The bearing member 3! has a bearing sleeve 83 for the operating rod. A sleeve extending downwardly from the bearing member BI surrounds the operating rod 76 and houses a cushioning spring 18 seating at its lower end in a bottom cup 19 for the sleeve 80 and being engaged at its upper end by a collar 35 secured on the operating rod.

As seen in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 8, the upper ends of the pull bars TI, I? are connected to one end of levers 85, 85 pivoted at 86 to the frame of the machine and connected at their other ends to links 81, 81 which in turn are connected to yokes 88, 88 connected to the clamp arms 59, 50 at 89, 89. This linkage is guided centrally by a guide member 98 secured to the machine frame having a slot SI for a guide roller 92 mounted on the connecting pin 93 of the links 31 and yokes 88.

In operation as the drive rod ll and connected operating rod I5 move downwardly, the clamp arms 58, 55 move inwardly to effect gripping of the jar, and as they move upwardly the arms 50 move outwardly away from the jar to release the grip (as seen in Fig. 8), and since the capping unit engages the jar in the downward movement of the drive rod the jar will be gripped while the cap is being tightened or set.

A complete cycle of operation of the machine, starting from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 in which the capping head has just completed setting the cap, is as follows. First the conveyor moves in. itsforwardstroke and simultaneousiy: the capping head moves upwardly away from. the jar and the clamps release. their grip on the jar, it being noted that thejars-are not advanced untilthe conveyor has traveled through the distance 4 4a. to enable the capping head 68 to raise clear of thejarbeforejar movement occurs. When the conveyor reaches the end ofits forward stroke the next jar to be capped will be in alignment with the capping head and so held bythe brake shoe 108. Next the conveyor moves inits backward; stroke and simultaneously the capp e ead moves:downwardly to engage and set-:thecap and1the-clamps move to grip thejar, This cycle is repeated as jars are advanced stepby-stepto capping position. The finished capped jars are moved along the frame members Ill to a point of j discharge.

hasbeen pointed'out above, it is contemplated to employ. the machine for capping jars of various diameters andheights, and to accomplish this;adjustments must'be made when changing from one size of jar to another.

Assuming now that the machine is to be changed from capping jars of the large size illustrated in the drawings to capping jars of smaller height and diameter, the first step is to rotate the pulley. 23 to-bring the hole 94 provided in the operating rod-l6 (Fig. 8) into registry with thehole 9-5 provided in the fixed bearing member BI and to insert a holding pin in the registering holes. It will be seen from Figure 2 that when these holes are in.registry the crank pin 2,5'is in its up position.

After insertion of the holding pin, the shaft 96a ofthe pinion 96 (which pinion engages the rack 91. of the drive rod 11) is held by a suitable wrench against rotation while the set screw 30 f the rod 21 is loosened and the locking screw 13a is unlocked by handle 13?) to release the bracket 13. With these screws loosened, the carriage I4 is loweredby rotating the pinion 96 until the capping head 68. engages thecapof. thesmaller size jar. Next the screw 36 is tightened to lock therod 21 in adjusted position and the screw 13a is tightened to secure the bracket 13110 the drive red It andthe holding pin is removed from apertures 94, 95. After the capping head has been brought into engagement with the jar cap in this manner, further adjustment of cap contact, if necessary, can be made by means of the adjusting nut 68a (Figure 7) Next the clamp arms. 59 are adjusted into engagement with the jar by turning the-turnbuckle 53. Further adjustment of the clamp arms may be made by adjusting the nuts Ila. and 11b on the screw end lie of the rod 76 to move the con.- nector bar 11d ofthe puller bar H, 11 up or down. The guide rails G and G are adjusted to suit the size of the jar in the manner above described.

If the diameter of the jar is such as to require a shorter stroke of the conveyor this is accomplished by positioning the yoke 98 of the link 46 in oneof the lower holes 99 of the bell crank lever 45. The position of the conveyor bar 4| may be adjusted to suit the jar by means of the screw I00 of the link 46. This adjustment enables the jar to be exactly aligned with the capping head. Conveyor adjustment-r mayalso be: made lg adjusting the rod Hit of: the adjusting, link A further adjustment desirably to bemade with, change of jar; diameters is the-position of the feed guide 35 which is accomplished by means of the screw and slot connections I92 shownin Figure 3.- This guide 35,15 moved. ina direction toward the capping-head for jars. of smaller diameter. Also thelead-inrail 1 or; I? is adjusted inwardly for the smaller jars.

Inaddition'tothe clamp; arm adjustment above referredto, it may bedesirable to provide, seweral sizes of clamps. Also, in order to take care of'a variety of; cap-sizes, capping heads-.68 of various sizes maybe employed.

Itwill now be apparent to those skilled in the art how I accomplish the feed,- guidance, con.- veyance anddischarge of the bottles or jars, in a reliable manner, closely-coordinated with the other operations of the machine. Regardless of variations in weight, center of gravity, diameter,- height and shape of jars or bottles, my conveyor mechanism with its. drivesystem and its. associated adjustable feedand; guide mechanism will meet all the requirements imposed upon it,

I.- claim: I

In a capping machine for setting looselyrap plied caps of screw-type jarsz; acapping unit; a conveyor for feeding jars toav capping station relative to said capping unit;- a carriage on which said capping unit ismounted; a support for mounting said carriage for; upand down reciprocation to bring said; capping unit into.v and out of engagement with a jar cap; clamping means for holding a jar on which the cap is to be set against rotation while said cap is; being set; a motor mounted on said carriage; and driving connections-between said motor and the carriage, the capping unit, the conveyor and the clamping means, said driving connections ;in cluding a rotating crank and a pivotally anchored adjustable rod connected to said; crank whereby-up and down reciprocatory movement is imparted to the carriage, a drive rod secured tothe carriage, a bracket adjustably secured on said drive rod, linkage and leverage connected between said bracketand theconveyortoimpart reciprocatory movement of the-drive rod to the conveyor, and linkage and leverage connected between said bracket and the clamping means to, impart reciprocatory movement of the; drive rod to theclamping means.

ARTHUR FILANDER.

References; Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,598,392 Risser Aug. 31, 1926 1,664,514 Kramer Apr. 3,1928 1,669,726 Seale May 15, 1928 1,673,091 Risser June 12,1928 1,679,939 Maw Aug. 7, 1928 2,026,118 Barnby 1 Dec, 31 1935 2,034,878 Podel Mar. 24, 1936 2,523,968 Paulson Sept. 26, 1950 2,583,968 Rosseau I Jan. 29,1 5 

